A proposed new building for the Lyon Township Public Library would stay on Milford Road, but move a little north.

Officials are looking at township-owned property east of Abbey Park at Mill River, a local senior living facility.

The location was chosen after two public hearings earlier this year facilitated by Quinn Evans architects. The property, proponents said, provides enough land for future library expansions as the community grows, it would be visible from Milford Road, utilities are readily available, it is close to neighborhoods, and it’s centrally located.

The current library down the street on Milford Road is 3,500 square feet. The proposed building will be 24,000 square feet, almost seven times the size of the existing facility. Before plans proceed, voters would need to approve a millage and bond request planned for the August ballot. The price tag on the building is $8.5 million.

The proposed bond rate for the building is .55 mills, as well as an operating millage of 1.585 mills. Combined, that would total 2.138 mills for library services. Now, residents pay .53 mills, meaning the net increase in library taxes would be 1.61 mills.

The Lyon Library Board held its third public hearing on the issue Thursday night to discuss possible locations, costs and concerns among residents.

“We want to plan so that we can accommodate the population in 20 years from now,” Quinn Evans architect Dilcher said.

One resident who attended the meeting said she wanted the library’s hours to increase and that would be the sole reason she would vote for a millage request.

Other wish list items among residents include drive-up book returns, easy parking, outdoor art, gardens, rooms for storytelling crafts and children’s computers, teen group study areas and rooms for tutoring, self checkout and an area to learn skills and provide mentoring opportunities, Jim Mumby, a Quinn Evans architect, said.

Ultimately, it’s all about responding to library users’ needed. “We want to provide the services that everyone has been wanting,” Library Director Holly Teasdle said.

If the millage requests are approved this August, the building construction would likely run from June 2017 through June 2018 and the grand opening of the building possibly in August 2018.

The township’s community center is inside the current Lyon library. Its future use would be decided by the township Board of Trustees, Teasdle said.

For more information on the library plans, contact Teasdle at hteasdle@lyon.lib.mi.us or 248-437-8800, or visit www.lyon.lib.mi.us.